Fallout: And To The Republic
by McFusterCluck
Summary: One week after the NCR victory at Hoover Dam, the Courier is mopping up remnants of Caesar's Legion in the Mojave, before pushing forward into Legion territory. Across the country, the Brotherhood of Steel has come into contact with unknown hostiles. The Lone Wanderer is sent to make contact with the West Coast. Two legends roads meet in this story. Please leave reviews!
1. Prologue 1

The door opened. Three Enclave soldiers and an officer were standing on one side of the table. They held their breath when a massive 8 foot tall Super Mutant walked through the door and took his place at the table. The next person to walk in was a Brotherhood of Steel Paladin, with gleaming silver Power Armor. The final person to walk through the door was a man with a Vault 101 suit on. He looked like a good, merciful person. He also looked armed to the teeth. The Enclave, and the rest of the Capitol Wasteland knew him as the Lone Wanderer. The Lone Wanderer smiled and stared at the officer. He cocked his head expectantly.

" So, you going to surrender or not?" the Lone Wanderer asked, still smiling.

The officer nodded and said, " Yeah. Yeah, we're in no condition to fight."

" How many casualties?" the Paladin spoke.

The officer closed his eyes in thought, whispered a few things, and said, " Sixteen able bodied. Forty five wounded, and twelve dead."

The Lone Wanderer nodded, and then said, " I really hope this isn't a trap."

" Why's that?" one of the soldiers asked.

The Wanderer chuckled, and said, " Well, we have thirty Brotherhood Paladins outside, with two Vertibirds in support, and the hardest obstacle. Me."

" Look, we'll go peacefully. I'm not lying about our numbers," the officer replied, adjusting his cap.

" Good!" the Wanderer yelled, motioning for the Enclave soldiers to leave the building.

" That wasn't so hard," he said to Fawkes, the Super Mutant in the room.

" Difficulty is but a thought," the Mutant replied, choosing his words carefully.

The Wanderer turned around and walked out into the radioactive sunlight. All around him, Brotherhood of Steel soldiers aimed at the door, but stood down when they saw the Wanderer.

" Stand down," Sentinel Sarah Lyons said, waving her arm.

" Load them into the Vertibirds and get them to the Citadel," Star Paladin Cross said to Sarah. Sarah nodded, and pointed to the landed Vertibirds. The Enclave climbed into them, and then the Birds lifted off into the air, towards the Citadel. The Wanderer turned to face the shattered skyline of Washington, D.C.


	2. Prologue 2

Boone slung his rifle over his shoulder, then turned around and gave a thumbs up. The Courier nodded, then began forward. Veronica, Rex, and ED-E followed him, ready for any action that may come their way. The sand broke under their feet, as though it was afraid of the presence. Boone jogged over to the Courier and said, " Gates up. No traps as I could see." The Courier nodded, then whistled three quick notes. The bushes to the groups left rustled, and four New California Republic Veteran Rangers shuffled out, their signature Ranger Sequoia's sitting in their holsters. The group approached the gate, and then stopped.

" Okay, we're here. Have him come up," the Courier said, facing the gate. The lead Ranger nodded, and then waved. One man approached, bandages covering his body.

" Blow the gate," the Ranger leader ordered, turning to one of his men. The Ranger walked up to the gate, and placed a C-4 charge on it.

" Get back!" the Ranger yelled, running back. Everyone dove for cover, except for the Courier and the bandaged man. The gate disintegrated, and smoke blew everywhere. The Courier and the man walked through it with no fear.

Ranks of Legionaries. The front rows were all Veterans, with Centurions in every fifth spot. The ranks formed a pathway to a man sitting on a throne. Caesar.

The Legionaries snapped their heads to face the two men. Gasps came from the lower ranks. Even a few Centurions held their breath.

The bandaged man stepped forward, looked around, and yelled, " Legion! Do you know who I am?!" No answer.

" I asked, do you know who I am?!" Still no response.

The man chuckled, and then stepped forward.

" Hello, Edward," the man said.

" Joshua," Caesar replied with a nod of his head.

By this time, the rest of the group was in the camp, behind the Courier.

" You know you can't win this, Joshua," Caesar said.

" And so what if I die? The Courier is here, and he brought you defeat at the Dam again," Joshua Graham replied, getting closer to the foot of the throne.

Caesar snarled, and leaned back. Many Legionaries gripped their weapons, ready to attack.

" Why did you come here, Graham? Did you want to die once and for all?" Caesar asked.

Joshua laughed, and shook his head.

" No. I wanted to show your Legion that I am alive. I, the Malpais Legate, the Burned Man, Joshua Graham, am still alive."

Joshua got to the first step of the throne, and unclipped his holster. He wrapped his hand around his pistol, A Light Shining in Darkness, and pulled it out of his holster.

" You dare approach me?! I am Caesar, Conqueror of the 86 Tribes!" Caesar roared, gripping the sides of his chair.

" The NCR have claimed to have killed me five times. You set me on fire and threw me into a canyon, saying I was killed. Here I am," Joshua said, ignoring Caesar's statement.

A Centurion rushed forward, stepping in front of Joshua.

" Step aside, Centurion," Joshua said, waving his arm to his left.

The Centurion began to draw his gladius, but was gunned down from four shots directly to the chest from Joshua.

Caesar began to rise, but two shots to the knees brought him back down. He screamed in pain.

" Render unto Caesar!" he cried. Joshua halted, and said, " I have already done so."

Caesar injected himself with a Stimpak, and then shakily rose.

" What do you want?!" Caesar cried. By now, Joshua was right in front of the leader of the feared Legion.

" Why, that's easy," Joshua replied, firing two shots into Caesars knees again.

Caesar thumped back down into his chair, and turned to face the man with bandages wrapped around his body. Joshua holstered his pistol, and then reached for the back of his head.

He began unwrapping the bandages around his face until Caesar was faced with the face of a man put to the torch. Joshua Graham hadn't felt fresh air on his face since that day many moons ago.

" Revenge."


	3. Chapter 1: Contact

Paladin Johnson picked up a piece of rock, and threw it at a bug a few feet away. He was bored out of his mind. The Enclave had been dead silent since the battle at Adams Air Force Base, and the Brotherhood of Steel had become the dominant seat of power in the Capital Wasteland. They had eradicated most of the raiders from the area, and were running patrols through the region. Roosevelt Academy had become the secondary base of operations for the Brotherhood in the area, and had a large contingent of soldiers there at all times. Elder Lyons now allowed open enlistment, as more land meant more Brothers needed. Paladin Johnson earned his rank after the battle for Project Purity, and was part of the expedition to the Academy. Unfortunately for him, he was put on patrol or watch most of the time. Minutes became hours as he waited for his replacement. The night was silent, as were most in the Wasteland. The wind kicked up dust around him, and a tumbleweed rolled past him. Johnson looked towards the south, towards Fort Independence, where the Brotherhood Outcasts were. He blinked, and suddenly red and yellow explosions came from down there. He cocked his head to the side in confusion, and muttered, " What the hell?"

He pressed his finger to his microphone and said, " Uh, Head Paladin Richardson, I see gunfire on the horizon, looks like it's coming from Fort Independence."

" _Roger, I'll send a squad out to your location_," Head Paladin Richardson responded.

By the time the squad of four Knights and three Initiates arrived, the gunfire had slowed to a few sporadic bursts every few seconds or so.

" What the hell is going on?" Initiate Adams asked.

" Something. Raiders or Talon Company?" Knight Harris replied.

" No. The fight wouldn't have lasted this long. The Outcasts would have wiped them out by now," Johnson said.

Two minutes later, the firing stopped. A faint cry could be heard in the distance, and then died down.

" The shooting's stopped," Johnson said into the mic.

" _Roger. Hold for further orders_," Richardson said.

The soldiers scanned the area for any activity, when one of them spotted a large moving black mass. They all snapped their weapons to the ready and Johnson yelled, " Who approaches?!"

" Don't shoot!" the mass cried, panting heavily.

" We will if you don't tell us who you are!" Harris yelled.

" I'm an Outcast! Please, I bear a warning!" the mass yelled, getting closer and closer, until the black and red T-45d power armor was in full view of the squad. He put his hands on his knees, and breathed heavily. Burn marks scorched patches of his armor, and his right shoulder plate was missing. The soldiers lowered their rifles.

" Come, and tell us what happened," Johnson said, motioning for the Outcast to approach.

" Everything was normal one second, and then we were getting swarmed by dozens of men. Organized, too. Very organized. Outer defenses went down, then they breached the Fort. I barely got out with a group, but we scattered," the Outcast panted.

" Talon Company?" Initiate Paulson asked.

The Outcast shook his head, and said, " They said something like Republic of Teck Sass or something."

" Teck Sass?"

" Yeah, that," the Outcast wheezed, before collapsing.

Paulson and Adams picked him up, and pulled off his helmet. Johnson pulled out his canteen, and poured water down the battered soldier's throat.

" I need a Stimpak," the Outcast croaked.

Harris pulled out a Stimpak, and jabbed it into the Outcast. Immediately, the Outcast was breathing normally and could stand. He put his helmet back on, and said, " You guys should get back to your base, before they get you too. You'll be more prepared, if you heed my warning."

" You're coming with us," Johnson said, turning and walking back towards the Academy. The squad followed, and behind them the Outcast.

" So the Outcasts are practically gone?" Richardson asked the Outcast, who shook his head.

" No. We have more. Protector Casdin and many other escaped, but the rest," the Outcast said, glancing at the ground at the end of his sentence.

" And who attacked?" Richardson asked, crossing his arms.

" Something like the Republic of Teck Sass."

Richardson nodded, and was about to say something when a young Initiate scrambled into the room, breathing heavily.

" Head Paladin! We have a massive force on our southern flank!" he cried.

Richardson turned to the radio operator in the room and yelled, " Tell the Citadel what has happened! As for the rest of you, get on the line! Defend this position!"

The Brotherhood sprinted out of the room, and down the hall amid a wave of Paladins and Knights. They got outside, where missiles screeched overhead, hitting the Library. Concrete fell of of the top, hitting the plaza below. Gunfire whizzed by, and flares lit up the night. Brothers manned the walls, opening fire on the aggressors. Johnson ducked behind the wall, and jumped up, firing three zaps from his Laser Rifle. The squad came beside him, also firing on the attackers. Dozens of Knights rushed around, shooting the attackers.

" Jesus!" Johnson yelled as a bullet slammed into his shoulder plate, pinging off.

" This is just like the Fort!" the Outcast yelled, firing.

" Yeah well we'll be dead if this keeps up!" Harris responded.

" Grenade!" a Knight yelled. The explosive went off, dismembering four brothers. A war cry came from the attackers. A whistle blew from their line, and the firing from their end stopped.

" Drummers! Ready!" a voice yelled from their line. Two beats, then another two, and then another. Then, they began doing a classic Pre-War tune, Yankee Doodle, on the drums.

" Attention, Brotherhood of Steel! This is the Republic of Texas, and we are here to take this land to add to our nation! Now, you have a choice. You can either surrender, and live. Or you can fight, and die!" the same man, who had a thick Southern accent yelled.

" And forfeit our honor?! Never! Stand brothers, and fight!" Head Paladin Richardson roared, leaping onto the wall.

" So be it," the man replied.

Three flares went over the enemy army, revealing a massive force in the hundreds. The Brotherhood opened fire, tearing down the first rank. The Texans then roared again, and charged. Even after volley of Brotherhood fire, the Texans kept charging, until they got to the wall. Hand to hand combat began, with the Brotherhood having the upper hand. Then, dozens of men armed with shotguns clambered over, and ripped apart the Brotherhood.

" Retreat!" a Paladin cried. The Brotherhood broke, and ran for the city, trying to get back to the Citadel. The Texans cheered in victory, waving their banner of the Lone Star.

It was at this point the Lone Wanderer and his party got to a hill overlooking the Academy, and they saw the Texans celebrate their win.


	4. Chapter 2: New Lands and New Orders

The Courier picked up his glass of scotch and raised it to his mouth. He downed it, and placed the glass back down. He looked around the casino for the Lucky 38, watching excited gamblers play their hand at Blackjack or Slots. Securitrons guarded the bank, and stood as sentries to the tower. The Courier turned, and walked down the stairs to socialize with the guests.

" Hi there. I hope you're enjoying the Lucky 38?" he asked a woman playing Slots.

" Oh I love it! Thank you for opening it up!" she replied with a smile.

" How are you liking this place?" the Courier said to a man wandering the casino.

" It's great!"

The Courier smiled and walked in front of the elevator, overlooking his casino. The doors opened, and three NCR troopers ran in. Obviously, they weren't there to gamble.

" Courier?" one asked.

" Yeah?" the Courier replied, crossing his arms.

" General Oliver wants to see you at the Fort," they said.

" Okay, I'll make my way there," the Courier said, turning and going into the elevator and up to the Presidential Suite. Boone sat on the couch, reading an old magazine. Rex lay sleeping in the corner of the main room, ED-E hovering over him. Veronica stood opposite the elevator, staring at a poster for the Lucky 38. Arcade Gannon sat in the recreation room, tinkering with his Enclave armor. They all converged on the Courier when the elevator doors opened.

" Ah, Courier. Glad you came," General Oliver said as the Courier and his group entered the tent, which was bustling with NCR activity. Ever since the battle at Hoover Dam, the NCR secured the Fort, and made it their new forward advance base.

" My pleasure, General. What's going on?" the Courier replied, sitting down.

Oliver got up, and turned around to face a faded map of the Old World United States. He pressed his fingertips on California, and looked at Nevada.

" Thanks to you, the NCR smashed the Legion at Hoover Dam, and the Malpais Legate... er, I mean Joshua Graham killed Caesar for good with your discretion. That reminds me, I thought you said you killed Caesar?" Oliver spoke, turning back around.

" Joshua tells me that Caesar must have known I was coming, and got out before I got to him. Body double, I'm guessing," the Courier said.

" Ah, no matter. Graham killed him yesterday, and our scouts are telling me that the Legion have been abandoning their conquered lands. I've already sent most of Camp Forlorn Hope to secure the area. From this day forth, the New California Republic is going on the offensive, and I want you as the spearhead," Oliver explained.

The Courier nodded, and adjusted his helmet.

" Alright. Is there anything else?" he asked.

" Yes, actually. The Mojave has been swelling with settlers since our victory, and are running out of space in the New Vegas area. New areas are needed for housing. You have explored a lot of places. Do you have any ideas?" Oliver asked.

The Courier slouched back, and then nodded.

" The Divide."

" The what?"

" The Divide. Hopeville and Ashton," the Courier said. Oliver stood confused for a second, thinking.

" Oh," he said after a few seconds.

" What is it?" the Courier asked, leaning forward.

" I remember what happened there. I ordered the troops in there. The reports of what happened were... crazy," Oliver replied.

" I went there. To meet the other Courier Six, Ulysses. The place is scorched by radiation, but there are ways to make it inhabitable," the Courier said.

" Go on."

" I also went to Big MT. I could talk to the Think Tank, and see if they could devise a way to rid the Divide of radiation and the other things, but I'll make no promises," the Courier said.

" If you can get it done, we'll consider it," Oliver said.

" So what are we doing now?" the Courier asked, getting up.

" Follow our troops into Legion territory. You're a big morale boost," Oliver said.

The Courier turned around, and left the tent.

The column of New California Republic soldiers stretched around the corner behind the Courier, who was leading it. Boone and Veronica flanked him, and Rex walked ahead of him, keeping watch. ED-E hovered above. The Courier had sent Arcade, his other companions, and some Rangers to the Divide to meet with Ulysses and have him explain the Divide. The column rounded a corner and met some Brotherhood Knights sitting on a wrecked car.

" Well, well. The Bear finally comes," one of them remarked. The Courier and Veronica broke off of the column and walked over to them.

" Hey Veronica," one of them said.

" Hello," she replied.

" How's the Wasteland been treating you?" he asked.

" Not too bad. How's the bunker?"

" Great actually. And you must be the Courier?" the Knight asked.

The Courier nodded, and said, " Yes I am. What's the situation?"

The Knights started laughing and then one said, " What situation? Last we saw of the Legion was three days ago and they were high tailing it east. At least thirty miles away by now at their pace. We found three decent sized towns just around this corner just off the road. We'll join you."

The Courier fell into the column as they rounded the corner and exited the small canyon. As far as the eye could see was desert, with small black shapes dotting the landscape, some in clusters. The Brotherhood Knights looked around, and then slung their weapons over their shoulders, walked further down the road. Colonel Hsu, leading the column, stepped ahead.

" Alright, you all know what we're doing here! Fan out and secure the area," he yelled.

" Hooah!" the NCR soldiers roared, starting to run down the road.

" Here she comes!" someone yelled.

The column parted, and a man on a white horse screamed down the middle of the road, the symbol of the Bear in hand. The flag flapped in the heavy wind, and fresh creases came apart.

" Hell yeah!"

The Courier and his party came to the first small settlement, which looked an awful lot like Goodsprings. The streets were empty, and tumbleweeds went down the dusty, dirt roads. From down the road, the Courier thought he heard yelling. But not like war yelling, more like preaching. Then he set his eyes on the chapel down the street. As they approached, the yelling became clearer and clearer.

The Courier pressed himself against the wall by two massive double doors. Through the window, Veronica could see dozens of people sitting in pews, with a man standing at the front. An Old World flag hung behind him.

"...through the perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?!" the man yelled. Then, the people rose, and began singing.

" _And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there!_" after the line ended, two men with massive drums stepped up, and began beating.

" _O say does that star-spangled banner yet waaaaaaaaave! For the laaand of the freeeeeeeeeeee, and the home of the braaaaaaaaaave!_" the group concluded.

" Better now than never," the Courier said, turning the door handle, and pushing in the door.

The church was much bigger than it seemed. The Courier stood in the middle, his Elite Riot Gear clearly being the center of attention. Boone was poised to ready his sniper. Veronica was much calmer, more idle in her nature. Rex growled, and ED-E hovered over.

" Who are you, Outsiders?!" the preacher yelled.

" We come from the New California Republic," the Courier replied.

" The what?" the preacher asked, confused.

" You haven't heard of it? Surely the Legion came through here," the Courier said.

" Those men in crimson? Aye, but there were only a few," the preacher said.

" Did you meet with them at all?"

" No, we heard screams of women and children, so we decided to steer clear," the preacher said.

" Whatever. The NCR is here to claim this land," the Courier responded.

" Claim it? Sonny, this is our land," the preacher said, revealing a .44 Magnum. The people from the pews stood up, and unveiled their own firearms, from pistol to shotgun.

" Yeah? Which group do you and your followers belong to?" the Courier snarked, snapping out his All-American Marksman Rifle.

The preacher cocked his head to one side and smiled.

" The only true nation in this land. The United States of America, of course," he said, aiming his revolver at the Courier.

" Yes, I saw what happened. Roosevelt Academy was wiped out," the Lone Wanderer said, leaning over the oak table. The Outcast, Defender Sanders, nodded. Johnson and the surviving Brotherhood did the same. Elder Lyons stood straight, and cleared his throat.

" Did they have a name?"

" Yes, Elder. The Republic of Teck-Sass or something like that," the Wanderer said.

" I see. There are logs of a state called Texas in the Citadel's computers, but we have no maps of where it is. They came from the south?" Lyons asked.

Sanders nodded and said, " Yeah. Swarmed Fort Independence, but Casdin and many others got out."

" Good. I hope they find their way here," Lyons said.

" With all due respect, Casdin hates you," Sanders replied.

" That may be true, but Protector Casdin is not stupid. He knows that in order for this threat to be beaten, we must stand united."

The Lone Wanderer walked closer to Lyons and said, " We need to take action."

Lyons nodded, and said, " We must make contact with the main Brotherhood again. They might send reinforcements."

" And how are we going to get there?" the Wanderer asked.

" It's not a matter of we. You shall go. Take however many people you can. But I have one requirement. I want the Lyon's Pride to go with you," Lyons said.

" How will we fit that many people in one Vertibird?" the Wanderer asked.

" You are right, you will be going by Vertibird. We have been modifying one to hold more troops, and it is ready. Get your things in order, and be on your way by sunrise," Lyons said.

The Lone Wanderer left the room, ready for his mission.


	5. Chapter 3: In Honore Caesar!

" You have a way out of this," the Courier said.

The preacher laughed and said, " You're invading the US We don't like invaders."

" I don't know if you got the memo, but the US died two hundred years ago," Veronica spoke up.

" Because of people like you!" the preacher yelled, curling his finger around the trigger. Before the revolver went off, a 5.56mm slammed into the barrel of it, peeling the metal back. The Courier lowered his weapon, and threw his weapon on the ground. The preacher stood straight like a board, whiter than a ghost. He shakily let go of the destroyed weapon, as the Courier pressed through his congregation.

" Are you really willing to risk having your entire town killed because you can't face the fact that the United States is dead?" the Courier asked the preacher, his finger in his chest. The preacher shrugged slowly.

" It's a yes or no question."

" The United States can still live," the preacher said.

" It had its chance!" the Courier yelled, stepping back.

_" __Courier, this is Grizzly 1-3, we hear yelling from your position, do you need assistance?_" a soldier patched in through the radio.

" Yeah, just don't come in guns blazing. We just need a... presence," the Courier said.

" _Roger," _the soldier replied.

" Look I get it. You live in a town that has little to no problems, and you want to retain it. I get that. And you love America, right?"

The preacher nodded.

" See? America lives on in the NCR. It treats its citizens well, and you all can be represented in the Senate," the Courier said.

The preacher nodded slowly, and turned to his people.

" Attention! This man has moved me. This New California Republic is America in a new light. I am accepting their nation as our own," he said. The congregation lowered their weapons, and then began filing out. The Courier said, " There are NCR troops on their way here. They'll explain everything to you." The preacher nodded, and his head hung low.

The Courier turned and walked down the aisle, to the doors. His companions followed him, as they approached the doors, the NCR troopers arrive. Seven of them, all with masks and goggles on, ran into the church.

Boone, who was closest, began explaining the situation, when suddenly gunfire erupted from a building down the road. The Courier sprinted out into the street and saw a house directly across the street explode, three NCR troopers flying in all directions.

" What the hell?!" a trooper cried.

Then, from a saloon on a street corner, dozens of Legionaries poured out into the open air, their crimson uniforms forming a sort of red sea. Then, the Courier heard a scream from behind him, and he wheeled around to see the preacher plunging a knife into an NCR soldiers back. Two men ran up to the Old World flag, and set it ablaze with a lighter. As it burned away, the banner of the Bull rose from the ashes.

" In honore Caesar!" the preacher yelled, raising the knife high. Boone wheeled around and fired a .308 round into his skull, dropping the preacher. The congregation snatched up their weapons and wildly opened fire.

The NCR soldiers dove for cover, while the Courier primed a grenade. He pulled the pin, and threw it as far into the crowd of people as he could. The explosion split pews down the middle, ripping people apart. The Courier swore he saw children in the crowd, but he couldn't imagine the Legion going this far.

The Courier spotted his All-American, and in the confusion of the grenade, he charged for it. He picked it up, spun around, and fired six quick shots. Six people fell.

A Brotherhood Knight stepped into the chapel, a Minigun in hand. He laid down a spread of fire, slaughtering the remaining people. The Courier ran towards the door, and out into the street.

The Legion had formed a line, with spearmen ready to throw. The others had gladius's drawn. A few, mainly Centurions, had Marksman Rifles. The firing slowed across the town, and dozens of NCR soldiers started coming into the area. They took a loose formation, all aiming at the Legionaries. The Courier stepped in front of the NCR, and raised his right arm.

" Ready!" he yelled.

The NCR behind him cocked their weapons.

The Courier threw his arm down, dropping to the ground, yelling, " Fire!"

The Legion was annihilated. Their men dropped like flies, until a few were left.

" Save the survivors," he said.

" But they're Legion, sir," a soldier said.

" So that means we should stoop down to their level? No, we are better than that. Take them prisoner," the Courier said.

Legate Lanius, now known as the new Caesar, sat on his throne, two servants flanking him. The room was lit by torches, and some Praetorian guard stood at full attention all around the throne room. The doors cracked open, and a man walked in, flanked by two others, each carrying a flag with a white and red stripe, with a lone white star on the side. They walked in with no order, and had little to no respect for the Praetorian guard around them. The man in the middle strode towards Lanius, and cleared his throat.

" Most... noble Caesar," the man began, almost choking on the last part.

" I bring a message of greeting from the Republic of Texas," he said.

" Republic of Texas? That sounds like a foe of the Legion," Lanius said, he voice booming.

The man wasn't intimidated. " Oh, excuse my manners. I am Vice President Bill Watson," he said.

" Tell me, Watson, where is this Texas, and what lands have you conquered?" Lanius asked.

" I was hoping you'd ask that. We are south of here, and have the great city of Dallas as our capital. We have most of southern Oklahoma under out control, and have sent armies towards the east, to claim the Old Capital. Mind you, we have not conquered that many states, but the Old Capital has been our goal from the beginning," Watson said.

Lanius grumbled.

" And what is it you want of us? Just a message of greetings?" he asked.

" Of course. And there's one other thing," Watson said.

" What is it?"

" An alliance."


	6. Chapter 4: Crossroads

**Note: Both the Lone Wanderer and the Courier are good characters. However, the Courier is more of a chaotic good, like Batman. The Lone Wanderer is more like a lawful good, like Superman or Captain America.**

Pain. Pain was all the Lone Wanderer felt as he woke up. It was dark, and he could see the shattered Vertibird a few meters ahead of him. His Vault 101 suit was torn, and his gloves were ripped, revealing cuts and scrapes. The Wanderer's vision was blurry, and his ears rung loudly. Fawkes, his trusty companion and friend, rose from the ground, wiping dirt from his arms. Fawkes saw his friend, and ran over to him.

" Are you okay my friend?! Are you alright?!" he yelled. The Wanderer mumbled something, and crawled a few inches before his face collapsed back into the dirt. Fawkes reached into his pack, and pulled out a Stimpak.

" This should help you," he said, poking it into an open patch of skin. The Wanderer shook, and then pulled himself to his knees.

" Cross?! Cross!" he cried. Fawkes looked around, and said, " I will find her." With that, the mutant walked off into the smoke. The Wanderer, feeling better, got onto his feet, and started limping around. Scraps of metal littered the area, and a massive gash tore the ground behind the Vertibird.

Fawkes appeared in the smoke, carrying two objects. As he came into clearer view, the Wanderer saw that Cross was in one arm, and Knight Captain Gallows in the other. He laid them down, and injected them with Stimpaks. Gallows sat up, and grumbled.

" What.. what happened?" he asked, removing his helmet.

" The Vertibird was shot down," Fawkes said, looking around.

Cross gasped, and coughed up blood.

" Cross!" the Wanderer cried, running to her side.

" Come on, don't die on me!" he yelled.

" Get me another Stimpak!"

Gallows came over, and place his hand on her neck, and nodded his head.

" What?!" the Wanderer cried.

" She's going into heavy cardiac arrest. There's nothing we can do," he said with a monotone voice.

The Wanderer began to turn around, when Cross grabbed him and turned him around.

" James... and I... we're... proud of you," she croaked, before slipping into the afterlife.

The Wanderer burst into tears, and wiped them away.

" No! Nooo!" he roared picking up a nearby piece of debris and throwing it as far as he could.

Fawkes picked up the angry human with one hand, and said, " Calm yourself. We must press forward."

The Wanderer, still fuming, was set down, and let out a sigh filled with tears.

" Wanderer? You there?" Sarah's soothing voice said.

" Yeah, we're here," he replied.

From the darkness, the entirety of Lyons' Pride revealed itself, with Charon and Dogmeat alongside them. Sarah looked at Cross' corpse, and she looked at the Wanderer.

" I'm.. sorry," she said solemnly. The Wanderer nodded.

" Where the hell are we?" Knight Captain Colvin interjected, breaking the somber mood.

" I don't know. Sure as hell isn't the Capital Wasteland, that's for damn sure," Sarah said, scratching her head.

" Let's get going towards the moon. That's west," the Wanderer said, brushing through the group.

The Courier sat on the roof of the desert house, watching a fire burn in the distance. Twenty minutes ago, it hadn't been there, but then a missile streaked up into the sky and knocked an object right out of it. Boone zoomed in with his scope, and then pulled his rifle down. He walked over to the Courier and tapped him on the shoulder.

" Hmm?"

" It's definitely a Vertibird. But it's modded. I saw some figures gather around it, and then they moved out," Boone reported.

Veronica stepped forward and said, " So here we are, miles ahead of the NCR. Took us a few days to get here. Far away from the Mojave, and already trouble? Sounds like my party."

The Courier chuckled, and opened up his Pip-Boy. His map had added on extra territory, and he flipped to a map of the United States, which he got from the archives of the Lucky 38. New Vegas was marked with a home icon, and his group was way far out from there. A scale showed that they were at least 300 miles away from the valley.

" Just because I like proving you wrong, we're actually three hundred miles out from the valley. And we were there a week and a half ago," the Courier said.

" You just love doing this, don't you?" she laughed. The Courier nodded.

" Just saying, we should check the crash out," Boone said.

The Courier nodded in agreement, and got up. He ran forward and leaped off the roof, landing on his feet. The group followed him. The crash wasn't that long of a walk, and when they got there, it was eerily quiet. The Courier jumped into the cabin of the VTOL, and scanned the interior. Electrical sparks blew every few seconds, and the metal buckled under the Courier.

Rex started barking.

ED-E started playing its normal combat music.

The distinct clicking of a bullet being loaded into a rifle was heard.

The Courier went back out into the night, to come face to face with the barrel of a 10mm pistol.

" Fuck," he mumbled.

All around him, people in Power Armor appeared, their weapons aimed. Then, a massive Super Mutant emerged from behind the man, a Gatling Laser at the ready.

" You Brotherhood?" the Courier said, his hands up.

The man squinted, and gripped the pistol tighter.

" We're not Fiends," Boone said.

" What the hell is a 'Fiend'?" a woman in Power Armor said.

" I thought you were Brotherhood?" the Courier said.

" We are," the man replied, his grip loosening.

The Courier took advantage of this, and slapped the pistol away, and punched the man in the face. The man flew on the ground, and the Courier jumped on him, a knife at the mans throat.

" Tell me, who the fuck are you?!" the Courier demanded.

" The Brotherhood!"

" How did you get this far away from the Mojave?"

" The what?!"

The Courier backed up from the man and said, " You must be the East Coast Brotherhood."

The Lone Wanderer kicked the Courier in the groin, and leaped up.

" Yep. And you are?" he said, standing over the Courier.

" Representatives of the New California Republic and the Brotherhood of Steel," the Courier croaked.

The Wanderer stepped back, and crossed his arms.

" The West Coast Brotherhood?" he asked.

The Courier made a shaking motion with his hand.

" The Mojave Chapter," he said.

" Ah," the Wanderer replied.

" Friends?" the Courier asked, extending his arm. The Wanderer, a good person at heart, reached out and grabbed the Courier's hand, and pulled him to his feet.

" Not yet," the Wanderer said.

Suddenly, rustling was heard all around the group, and the Pride began scanning for targets.

" Who's there?" the Courier yelled, aiming his All-American into the darkness.

" Remember HELIOS," came the reply. The Courier immediately lowered his weapon and stepped forward.

" You're clear, Paladins," he said.

From the darkness emerged a dozen Mojave Brotherhood soldiers, clad in T-51b power armor. Leading them was Paladin Ramos. They looked at the Lyons Pride, and were confused.

" Who are they?" Ramos asked the Courier.

Sarah stepped forward and said, " Capital Wasteland Chapter of the Brotherhood. I'm assuming you're from the West Coast?"

" Mojave, actually. But we have contact with the main Brotherhood. Why are you all the way over here?" Ramos replied.

The Lone Wanderer took a step forward and said, " The entire area has come under assault from this Republic of Texas, and our Elder wants to request help from the West Coast.

Ramos removed his helmet and scratched his head. " Elder... Lyons, right?" Ramos finally said. The Wanderer nodded.

" Ah. Well, the Brotherhood really isn't the faction to ask for help from. You really want help from the NCR or something," Ramos said.

" But the Brotherhood is huge!" Knight Captain Dusk exclaimed.

Ramos sighed. " Unfortunately, the NCR has become the major power. However, the Brotherhood has allied with them since the threat of the Legion rose," he said.

" The what?" the Wanderer asked, scratching his head.

" Caesar's Legion? Surely you've... oh wait, you're East Coast. Hmm. Caesar's Legion is a massive force of slavers that attacked the NCR a few years ago. They've taken over dozens of tribes, and enslave everyone or kill them," the Courier explained.

Boone stepped forward and said, " I hate to be a buzzkill, but we should probably pull back and get these guys to the higher-up's so they can decide what to do."

" Yes, we should," Fawkes replied.

The Courier looked at the Wanderer and stuck out his hand. The Wanderer glared at it, and then grabbed it. The two had a brief handshake, before turning and leading the group back West.

Private Clark yawned and leaned back in his chair. Corporal Armstrong slept on a mattress a few feet away, and Sergeant Adams and Private Paulson watched ahead of their post. Clark got up and grabbed his Service Rifle. He walked over to Paulson and nudged him on the shoulder. Paulson nodded and stepped to the side. They watched the road ahead from their wall of sandbags, even though the Legion hadn't been seen since the skirmish earlier that day. Suddenly, the sound of marching crept up from the distance. Clark squinted and looked into the darkness. Adams stepped back and gave Armstrong a light kick.

" Huh?" Armstrong groggily said, waking up.

" Activity up front. Get on the line, trooper," Adams said.

Armstrong joined the troopers as the marching came closer and closer.

When the marching stopped, Adams yelled, " Who's there?!"

" Ready!" came a shrill reply.

" Aim!"

Adams went wide eyed, and cried, " GET DOWN!" All the troopers dropped.

" Fire!"

A massive thunderclap of fire came from ahead. Bullets whizzed overhead, and when it stopped, Paulson peeked his head over the sandbags. A bullet hit him right between his eyes.

" Paulson!" Clark cried.

" CHARGE!" the darkness yelled. A roar came, and the ground began shaking from a mass of men.

Adams scrambled for the radio, and picked it up. " McCarran, McCarran! This is Falcon 1-3! We're under attack from unknown hostiles!"

" _Say again, Falcon_," Camp McCarran replied.

" Under attack from unknown hostiles!" Adams cried, right before a spread of 12 gauge slammed into his neck.

Clark hid under the wall, and watched as his squadmates were slaughtered. He figured that he'd take some down with him. With his Service Rifle in hand, he leaped up, and fired an entire magazine into his foes, dropping a dozen of them. As he reloaded, a soldier from behind him stabbed him through the chest with a bayonet. Clark spat out blood, and slumped back down against the sandbags. He coughed for air as he watched the wave of men pass his post, continuing down the road. He opened a pocket and pulled out his journal. With a dull pencil in hand, he wrote his last entry.


	7. Chapter 5: An Unlikely Alliance

Paladin Johnson and Defender Sanders sat on the steps leading to the B Ring of the Citadel, sharing Aqua Pura and watching Initiates train heavily in the courtyard. Paladin Gunny would run up to and scream at recruits who had even a slight error. Knights constantly brought out weapons and would haul them up to the roof, where soldiers would set them up as defenses. A whistle sounded from the roof directly behind the two, and they turned around. The doors to the B Ring spread open, and two dozen Paladins and Knights filed out. They got down to the square, and formed ranks. Two men ran in front and started yelling orders. Then, three loud horns blew from all over the roof. The soldiers looked around, and then one of the leaders yelled, " Get to the gate!" Johnson and Sanders leaped up and dashed for the barracks.

When they got outside the gate and in front of the Citadel, they were greeted by a wall of Brotherhood, all aiming their weapons at a group. Johnson and Sanders pressed through, and then a voice yelled, " Sanders?! Sanders!"

Seventeen Brotherhood Outcasts stood in front, their weapons on their backs. " Oh, Jesus! Casdin!" Sanders exclaimed. He rushed forward, bear hugging the helmetless Outcast. " It's good to see you, Sanders," Protector Casdin said with a smile.

" The Elder is here!" a Paladin yelled. All the Brotherhood snapped to attention, and faced their approaching leader. Elder Lyons strode through the wall until he was face to face with Casdin.

" Hello, old friend," Lyons said. Casdin nodded.

" I know why you have come, and before you ask, yes, you may enter the Citadel. We could use all the help we can get," Lyons said.

" Thank you, Elder," Casdin said. " Come on everyone, we're back home," he said, turning to the Outcasts. They followed him inside, with the regular Brotherhood following closely.

The fate of the Capital Wasteland lay in their hands.


	8. Chapter 6: The Legates

**I really hope this chapter is as badass as I hoped it would be. Enjoy!**

Joshua Graham sat on a log, staring at the sand of the desert. He watched a large rattlesnake slither out of the ground and latch onto a rabbit. It was rare to see a rabbit, or a non-mutated animal for that matter. As the rattlesnake turned and slid away, Joshua felt the ground tremble a little bit. His guest had arrived. Joshua rose and walked forward just as a low fog began rolling in, which was also unusual. Joshua's eyes narrowed as he spotted the man he was meeting. Well, someone who is seen as a monster in most places.

Legate Lanius, who still preferred that title over Caesar, watched the Malpais Legate with caution as he approached. Even though Lanius was twice the size of the Malpais Legate, he still knew what Joshua Graham was capable of. The sand split beneath his boots as Lanius came closer to Joshua. He halted five feet ahead of the Burned Man.

" Hello, Caesar," Joshua said, almost spitting out the name.

Lanius let out a grunt, and spoke, " I prefer my old name. It... suits me more."

" You have nobody with you, as I requested?" Joshua asked.

" I am a man of my honor," Lanius replied.

Joshua chuckled and said, " I don't think you know what honor is."

" Don't test me, traitor. It is taking every fiber in my body not to split you limb from limb with my bare hands," Lanius snarled.

Joshua outstretched his arms, and said, " Do it, then."

Lanius made no movement.

Joshua's arms slumped back down to his sides, and then he said, " How is the Legion doing?"

" It could be better."

" Would it be better if Edward was still breathing?"

Lanius growled, and then said, " He has one true name. And that is Caesar."

Joshua stepped forward and said, " Why can you not let go? Our Lord once said to let all be forgiven. The NCR has been smashing you at every turn. While I do not support them, I believe that it would be best for the Legion if you were not so aggressive."

Lanius let out a low chuckle, and crossed his arms. " We found a new ally. One that can take on even the mighty Bear," he said.

Joshua came closer, and said, " And who might that be? Another new found tribe?"

Lanius' chuckle morphed into a full laugh.

" Worse," he spoke, reaching into a bag. He pulled out a flag, and tossed it to Graham, who caught it.

" Open it," Lanius said, turning around.

Joshua opened the flag and lay it on the ground. There was a red and then a white stripe, with a section of blue on the left. A lone white star sat in the middle.

" Who is this new group?" Joshua asked.

" They call themselves the 'Republic of Texas.' And they have allied with us," Lanius said.

Joshua nodded.

" There is one more thing on my part," Lanius said. He took two steps forward, getting right up against Joshua.

Reaching behind him and gripping the hilt of the Blade of the East, Lanius swung the sword down, hoping to kill the Malpais Legate in one move.

Joshua dove to his left, and unholstered A Light Shining In Darkness. He pointed it at Lanius, and fired two shots, pinging off his metal armor. Lanius surged forward, taking a swing at Joshua. Joshua rolled behind Lanius, and shot him in the shoulder. The round hit a soft spot in Lanius' armor. Lanius wheeled around, swinging his blade. It skimmed along Joshua's chest, cutting the outer layers of his skin. Joshua stood back up and fired all his remaining rounds into Lanius, injuring him some more. Joshua, reloading, sprinted off into the darkness, snatching up the flag.

Lanius, knowing that his injuries could be fatal, roared in anger, and slumped down. He looked at his legs. Two shots in the right leg, two in the shoulder/arm, and one in the torso. The Malpais Legate had survived, and would warn not only the Courier of the Texans, but bring the Legion the awareness of an East Coast Legend.


	9. Chapter 7: The Fort

If records were still being kept, the Courier and Wanderer had definitely set one for the longest distance covered on foot in two days.

The massive group walked into the Fort and were met with dozens of NCR troopers gearing up and readying for battle. Sergeants rallied their squads, and the troopers cleaned their weapons and armor. 1st Recon was even there. Lieutenant Gorobets spotted the Courier, and ran over to him.

" Hey, LT," the Courier said. Gorobets surveyed the Brotherhood, and crossed his arms.

" Brotherhood, huh? We could use some helping hands," Gorobets said.

" What's going on?" the Courier asked.

" Ah, that's right. You've been way ahead of the lines, so you didn't hear. We lost contact with two frontline forts, Fort Eagle and Fort... Wolf I think. Oliver's mobilizing the army to fight the attackers," Gorobets explained.

" Legion?" Boone asked.

Gorobets shook his head, and said, " The tech's too advanced according to the survivors."

The Courier nodded and said, " Where's Oliver? These are East Coast Brotherhood."

Gorobets pointed behind him and said, " He's in Caesar's tent, talking to Chief Hanlon."

" Thanks," the Courier said, before leading the group up the hill and to the tent. When they opened the tent, they entered a fierce argument.

" Damn it, Oliver! Was Hoover Dam just not enough for you? Let the Rangers scout it out first," Hanlon yelled. General Oliver turned around and yelled, " No! I'm in fuckin' charge here, and I know what I'm goddamned doing!" Chief Hanlon, about to respond, noticed the Courier and said, " Well, hello."

" What's going on?" the Courier asked.

" General Wait-and-See here wants to challenge this new army in a pitched battle, without the Rangers scouting it out," Hanlon said.

" Now hold on a minute! This new force, when they see our might, they'll probably just break and run!" Oliver broke in.

" Wait, wait, wait. Who are these 'Rangers'?" the Wanderer asked.

Oliver and Hanlon laughed.

" Who's this guy?" Hanlon asked, chuckling.

" Some guy from the East Coast. He's got a fuckin' Super Mutant buddie with him outside with Veronica and Rex. These guys are East Coast Brotherhood," the Courier said.

" Well, shit. You Brotherhood need to go to Hidden Valley. I'll have some Rangers escort you," Hanlon replied. Two Rangers came and led Sarah and the Pride out of the tent.

" Now, you," Oliver said, turning to the Wanderer.

" Yes?" the Wanderer asked.

" You should stick with the Courier, he'll show you the ropes of the Mojave."

" With respect, I can hold my own. In this guys words, 'I have a fuckin' Super Mutant buddie.' I can show myself around," the Wanderer responded.

" Sure. I mean, just stay with him. You both could be assets," Oliver said.

" General, we still need a plan for this battle," the Courier said.

" We do. Courier, you saved our asses at the Dam. What do you think we should do?" Hanlon asked.

The Courier glanced at the Wanderer, and then said, " I agree with Hanlon. Send the Rangers in to scout, but have them in the battle. We could use a few artillery pieces, and also use 1st Recon."

" Well, I guess I'll send in the Rangers. Your wish is granted, Hanlon," Oliver sighed.

The Wanderer stepped forward and said, " Have the Pride in this one, General."

" The Pride?" Oliver asked.

" Oh, yeah. You guys aren't from the Capitol. The Pride were those Brotherhood with me. Send them in too. They'll be a help," the Wanderer said.

" Okay, we'll do that," Oliver replied.

" Anything else?" the Courier asked.

" That should do it. Dismissed."

The Courier and Wander met up with their companions at Cottonwood Cove. The Wanderer kept his distance from the Courier, as they weren't exactly on good terms. Fawkes saw his friend and ran over to him.

" The female and her pack passed by a few minutes ago, led by some men in armor I remember all those years ago," he said.

" Yeah, Fawkes. They're Rangers," the Wanderer said.

" There were Rangers in my time. Many, in fact. Park rangers, Army Rangers," Fawkes reminisced.

The Courier stopped and turned around.

" We haven't exactly talked since that night," he said.

The Wanderer shrugged, and said, " Never got the chance, I guess."

" Well, that doesn't mean we can't talk now," the Courier said.

" Not much to say, really," the Wanderer slowly said.

The Courier removed his helmet, revealing a Caucasian man with a cropped brown haircut. He raised an eyebrow, and said, " Bullshit."

" Look, I was born and raised in Vault. Stuff happened, and now I'm here," the Wanderer replied, agitated.

" Okay then. Let's start small. Where'd you get the Mutant?" the Courier asked.

" He's no Mutant. His name is Fawkes, and he is my best friend aside from Dogmeat here," the Wanderer said, patting his dog's head.

" Where'd you get him?" the Courier repeated.

" A Vault. I had to get something for the Brotherhood, and I found him trapped. He helped me escape from the Enclave. Been travelling together ever since. Kinda defeats the name of Lone Wanderer," the Wanderer said.

" So that's your name?"

" No. It's... just call me the Wanderer, okay?"

" Sure."

" Sooo.. what is there to do around here?" the Wanderer asked.

Veronica laughed and said, " What isn't there to do?"

" Booze, guns, and gambling," Boone muttered.

" Gambling? Like casinos?" the Wanderer asked.

" Yeah. Ever heard of Vegas?" the Courier replied.

" A couple times in class actually. Why? Is it around here?" the Wanderer asked.

The Courier smiled and said, " Come on. You're going to the Strip."

" Isn't that dangerous? Cities are usually war zone's," the Wanderer halted.

" Only if you're a naive motherfucker. New Vegas is a sight to behold," the Courier said.

" Well, okay. If you insist," the Wanderer said.

The Lone Wanderer was about to see something he'd never imagined.


	10. Chapter 8: Take Him For A Spin!

" Holy shit," the Lone Wanderer whispered as he stared at the tower of the Lucky 38. People kept their distance from the group as it wasn't normal to see a Super Mutant with a Gatling Laser walking around. The dancers outside Gomorrah flirted with passing drunk NCR troopers and street comedians did their act to visiting tourists. Victor, the Securitron who saved the Courier, sat outside the Lucky 38. The Courier, after the NCR took the Strip, had the software for Victor booted into another Securitron, because he liked his old friend.

" Quite a sight, huh?" the Courier asked the Wanderer.

" More than that. This is... amazing," the Wanderer exclaimed with joy.

" That tower, the Lucky 38? She's all mine," the Courier said.

" Let's go in!"

" Sure. We should," the Courier said.

When they entered the casino, the Wanderer was dumbstruck by the sheer amount of people inside the casino. It may have had more people than even Megaton, and this was just one room. People laughed at jokes told by their friends. Others sat at slot machines and card tables, placing their earnings in hopes of breaking the bank.

" This is all yours?" the Wanderer asked.

" Mhm. Wait here. I'll be right back," the Courier said.

Within five minutes, the Courier had changed from his Riot Gear into a suave suit. He walked up to a microphone above the VIP Lounge, and said, " Attention, guests of the Lucky 38! We have some very special guests, straight from the East Coast. They're all friends of mine, even the mutant. So please give them a warm welcome, and thank you for coming to the Lucky 38!"

The Lone Wanderer came up beside him while both of their companions socialized. The Wanderer leaned on the railing next to the Courier, and sighed.

" What's wrong?" the Courier asked.

" It's just weird. There's nothing like this in the Capital Wasteland. Everything is so unlawful. People are dying for food, there's no order, no... goodness. Everywhere has a dark side. The Raiders are everywhere, and the Mutants are even worse. The ruins of D.C. are a hellhole. But here, there's hope. People are happy, people feel safe, and everything seems... well," the Wanderer said, anguish in his tone.

" It's not all good. A month ago, all this was in jeopardy. Caesar's Legion, a huge army of slavers, came in and tried to take the NCR down at Hoover Dam. They did the same three or four years ago, and got their asses kicked. It happened again this time, but it's costing them dearly. Those fuckers woulda killed or enslaved everyone. Torched the Strip to the ground. I said no. Fuck them. Thank god they're running," the Courier replied.

" Yeah, there was something like that goin' on a few years ago in the Capital Wasteland. There was this group, the Enclave. I dunno if you've heard of them," the Wanderer began.

" I have. Them and the NCR fought years ago. They lost everything. Anyways, go on."

" Anyways, they started making a presence in the Wasteland and killing people. The Brotherhood and them had a big battle over this water purifier my dad designed and built. We won, and kicked the Enclave out of the Wasteland to Adams Air Force Base. That was an interesting fight. At any rate, we won."

" What happened to your dad?"

" He... died trying to protect the purifier from the Enclave. Clean water for all," the Wanderer sighed.

" I'm... sorry."

" It's fine. The Enclave never really cared about people anyways. They tried to get me to put this virus in the purifier that would basically kill anyone with mutations. Sick bastards," the Wanderer concluded.

" There are some Enclave out here. Old people, but damn good soldiers. They helped us win at the Dam," the Courier said.

" Ya know, you seem like a good guy," the Wanderer said out of the blue.

" Thanks. I get that a lot," the Courier responded.

" Same here. This guy on the radio called Three Dog, he calls me a Messiah."

The two shared a laugh.

" So what was it that brought you here, Mr. Wanderer Man?" the Courier asked, taking a drink from a bottle of wine a few feet away on a table.

" Well, there are some... Outcasts from the Brotherhood. They came under attack from this army. And less than an hour after their stronghold fell, the Brotherhood's secondary base at Roosevelt Academy was destroyed. They fight like nobody I've ever seen. They call themselves the... Republic of Texas," the Wanderer explained.

" Texas? Jesus, that's way the hell south," the Courier exclaimed.

" You been there?"

" Once. I was delivering a package to some woman out in the western part of the state," the Courier replied, taking another drink of wine.

" Nice place?"

The Courier chuckled, and said, " Hell no."

" What was wrong with it?"

" Nothing to see, really. Raiders were there, but the Desert Rangers with me kept them in check."

" Desert Rangers?"

" Basically an independent group that got absorbed into the NCR. They actually fought the Legion, too. Wasn't going well for them, to say the least."

The Wanderer stuck his hand out, and the Courier handed him the bottle. The Wanderer looked at the bottle.

" _California Wine, 2035 blend_. This is old!" he read, before placing the bottle to his lips and taking a drink.

" How bad was this Republic of Texas?" the Courier asked, taking back the bottle.

" Well, seeing as how they wiped out the Outcasts, and then our secondary base, pretty bad. The Brotherhood are known as the best," the Wanderer replied.

The Courier turned around and put his back against the railing.

" So, I remember you saying that you're from a Vault?" he asked.

" Yeah. Yeah, I am," the Wanderer replied, his gaze turning to the ground.

" What was it like? I've explored a lotta Vaults around here," the Courier inquired.

" Well, it's really nice. I lived in Vault 101, with my dad. He was the doctor," the Wanderer said.

" What happened to your mom?"

" She died after giving birth to me," the Wanderer sadly revealed.

" I'm sorry," the Courier said.

The doors to the Lucky 38 opened, and one man dashed inside. He looked around for someone, and then spotted the Courier. They made eye contact, and the man approached the stairs. The Courier immediately knew who it was. The Lone Wanderer turned around and looked at the man. He raised an eyebrow, and opened his mouth to say something. As the man climbed the stairs, the Courier got off the railing and walked over to meet him. The Wanderer followed.

" Joshua Graham! What are you doing here?!" the Courier laughed.

" Urgent news. I met with Lanius.. he says there is a new faction allied with the Legion. He called them the Republic of Texas. He gave me this flag," Joshua explained, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the flag of the Lone Star. He held it out for the Courier when the Wanderer snatched it out of Graham's hands.

" Who are you?" Joshua yelled, putting his hand on his pistol.

" Just call me the Lone Wanderer. I know these people. They're attacking my home right now!"

" Where are you from?"

" The D.C. ruins," the Wanderer said.

" Ah, the old capitol."

" I've got a feeling that these are the hostiles you guys are facing soon, Courier. And lemme tell you, they're no joke. Like I said, they wiped out two bases in the span of an hour. I need to let your superiors know," the Wanderer spoke really fast.

" You obviously haven't seen the power of the NCR. These... Texans wouldn't stand a chance," the Courier laughed.

" Well, that will have to be put to the test," the Wanderer shrugged.

The Courier looked at Joshua and saw a gash across his chest.

He pointed at it and asked, " What happened?"

Joshua looked down at the wound and said, " Lanius set a trap. We fought, and he scratched me. I wounded him."

" Good. That's good," the Courier said.

" But come, we must get to the battlefield," the Malpais Legate said, ushering them down the stairs.


	11. Chapter 9: Battle of Fort Eagle

The hot Nevada sun bore down on the Lone Wanderer's face, a kind of heat he had never felt before. Fawkes sat down to the Wanderer's right, his Gatling Laser resting on the sand next to him. All around him were the unfamiliar, weary faces of New California Republic troopers. They joked with each other, played cards, and exchanged rounds. The hill the army was on faced the ruins of Fort Eagle, which was a large dark shadow in the dust far ahead of them. A good 25% of the army were veterans of the Mojave Campaign, the rest being rookies. The Courier, who was talking to Colonel Moore, the commander of the army, came down the makeshift wooden plank stairs and stood by the Wanderer. They looked at each other and then faced the dust. Boone and Veronica, his companions, were waiting for him.

" Where's the Lyons Pride?" the Wanderer asked.

" Right here," a woman said. The Wanderer and Courier turned around and saw Sarah Lyons and the Pride coming down the stairs, the only people in Power Armor on the whole battlefield. Knight Captains' Dusk and Colvin stood by each other, even though they had a competition for who the better sniper was. Knight Captain Gallows and Paladin Vargas followed Sarah closely, wary of the NCR surrounding them.

" You guys made it!" the Wanderer exclaimed.

" We weren't gonna miss this one," Sarah said.

" You guys got any snipers?" Colvin asked the Courier.

The Courier turned to Boone and said, " Take them to Lieutenant Gorobets."

Boone nodded and got up. He ushered for the Dusk and Colvin to follow him to the top of the hill, toward the five rifle barrels sticking out from a wall of sandbags.

" You guys should stay up.." the Courier began before being interrupted by Sarah.

" We don't take orders from you," she hushed the Courier.

" Fine, then," the Courier replied, crossing his arms.

Six NCR Veteran Rangers came down the stairs and walked over to the Courier.

" Ranger Delta Team, reporting as ordered, sir," the leader said.

" Thanks for coming, Rangers. Hold the line here," the Courier said.

For the rest of the day, nothing happened. As the sun began to go down, Joshua Graham tapped on the Couriers shoulder to let him know he had arrived. The Wanderer sat a few yards away, talking with Sarah.

" So, what did the Elder say?" the Wanderer asked, taking a bite of Brahmin steak.

" Elder McNamara? Nice guy. Young too. Anyways, he said that he'll try and raise the Lost Hills bunker and request for help," Sarah replied.

She took a drink of water, and then asked quietly, " So.. who's this Courier guy?"

" He's a nice guy," the Wanderer responded.

" I'm not sure about him. He seems like the kind of guy who'd give the finger to those above if he thought what he was doing is right," Sarah said.

" Yeah. Yeah, I guess," the Wanderer said.

Boone peered into his scope, and then leaned back.

" Dust storm coming in. Looks like it's gonna be bad," he said to the Courier.

" Damn. That's not good," the Courier responded.

Soon, the night had almost come. The officers ordered the troops stay up. A special drink that was developed at the Office of Science and Industry was distributed among the troops as to keep them awake. The Courier sat in a fold-out chair, against the ninth line of sandbags. The hill was jam-packed with NCR troopers, all ready to defend what they earned. The dust storm approached from the east, and set in. The troopers pulled bandana's over their faces and slid on goggles if they hadn't already.

Joshua Graham, who had experienced every form of pain imaginable, did not budge.

" Where the fuck are the Ranger teams?" the Courier whispered.

A whistle sounded from the front line of sandbags, and someone yelled, " Star!"

" Star!" they called again.

" It's the Rangers!" someone called. The Rangers at the top of the hill rose, and peered down to look at their comrades.

The Lone Wanderer got up and leaned against the sandbags.

As the Rangers went up the lines, the troopers gasped or held their breath.

The Courier stepped in front of them, and saw four Rangers, one of which missing an arm, and the others obviously scarred.

" Where are the other teams?" he cautiously asked.

The lead Ranger, a female with burnt patches in her hat, sighed and said, " We made contact with the hostiles. They wiped out all the other teams."

" That's almost sixteen Rangers!" Boone exclaimed.

"Yeah. Sir, these guys mean business," the Ranger said.

The Courier stepped aside, and said, " Go up and see Colonel Moore." He pointed up the hill.

The Rangers went up the hill, to deliver the news Moore dreaded.

...

The Lone Wanderer, more vigilant than ever, even began to doze off as the night settled in. The second he closed his eyes, a mass of explosions roared from ahead of the lines. The NCR troopers scrambled for their weapons, and dashed for cover. The Wanderer leaped up, snatched up his Infiltrator, and peered into the sandstorm. Sarah and the Pride got beside him.

" Artillery!" a trooper cried. The first salvo hit the lines, ripping troopers apart. The shells kicked up more dust, blinding already wounded troopers. A war cry emitted from the dying sounds of the artillery guns, and then six flares shot up, revealing a massive army surrounding Fort Eagle. The dust storm was passing over, and the troopers took off their masks, taking fresh air in. The artillery guns fired another salvo, this time being answered by the NCR firing its own howitzers. The shells killed dozens of the enemy, and the enemy's did the same to the NCR. Rangers rushed down the line, placing their guns on sandbags.

" FOR TEXAS!" the enemy roared.

The Lone Wanderer gasped. The Texans were here, and the NCR was not prepared. Fawkes placed his Gatling Laser on his hip, and started shooting into the night, towards the Texans. The troopers joined the mutant, giving the Texans a taste of California. The Courier pulled out his All-American and started shooting. Joshua Graham picked up a nearby Service Rifle and began shooting too. The NCR artillery continued to pummel the Texan lines, which hadn't moved at all. The NCR line ripped into the Texans, tearing them down until a few stood. First Recon dropped them.

" Cle... clear!" a trooper cried happily. The NCR erupted with cheering. The troopers hugged each other and shared words. The only people not celebrating were the Courier, Wanderer, Joshua Graham, and their followers.

" Something's not right," the Wanderer said, his finger still wrapped around the trigger of his weapon.

" No shit," the Courier replied.

Suddenly, Fort Eagle exploded. Debris shot out, mostly wood and clay. When the smoke cleared, and when the entire Californian army gazed on the ruins, an enormous army of moving men sprinted through the desert, closing on the NCR. The troops immediately realized that what they had spent most of their ammunition on, what the artillery wasted shells on, were decoy troops. The real enemy was charging their position, with full ammo capacity.

Mortars screamed over their heads, dropping over the hill. NCR troopers flew everywhere, their mangled bodies sailing into the dirt. Sand kicked up, blinding the troops as they rushed to put on their masks. The Courier fired round after round into the tsunami of Texans, dropping one with each bullet. The Wanderer and Fawkes stood side by side, ripping through the wave. The Texans reached the first line of NCR, and leaped into the trenches. Deadly melee combat ensued, with NCR troopers engaging the Texans with shotguns, pistols, and even knives. Dogmeat and Rex rushed out of the Courier's line and ran down the stairs to greet the oncoming Texans. Boone fired shot after shot, and then heard the click of an empty mag. He reached for another magazine, to find that he had none.

" I'm out!" he called.

" What caliber?!" the Courier replied, stepping back.

" .308!" Boone yelled. The Courier fumbled around in his pockets, and tossed Boone forty rounds.

The Pride, with Power Armor and energy weapons, fired precise shots at the attackers, taking many down. But the Texans had just too much. They broke the first line of NCR, and gathered for the push up the hill. Colonel Moore gathered the artillery and fired all remaining shells into the first line. The salvo killed more Californians than it did Texans. There was so much dust kicked up that it merged with the passing dust storm, causing the storm to envelop the hill once more. Not only were the troops fighting in the dark, but they were also in a dust storm. Delta Team, next to the Courier, fired their Ranger Sequoia's, until they ran out of ammo. Then, they resorted to Marksman Rifles. And when those were out, they vaulted the sandbags, and rushed down into the melee fighting. First Recon took their toll on the Texans, but they lost visibility once the dust storm settled in again. Rex and Dogmeat came back up the stairs, blood all over them. The Wanderer pulled Fawkes back, and ran over to Dogmeat.

" You okay, boy?!"

Dogmeat barked.

" That's a good boy!" the Wanderer yelled, turning to the Courier. Joshua Graham took precise shots with his Service Rifle, killing Texans.

The Wanderer grabbed the Courier by the shoulder, yelling, " We have to get up the hill! We're losing!"

" Bullshit! We can win this!"

" Well I'm going to the top of the hill!" the Wanderer roared, storming off, up the hill.

" Goddammit, wait! Fuck, come on!" the Courier yelled, slinging his rifle over his shoulder and following the Wanderer. His companions followed him. Joshua Graham went up, too.

The second line of NCR went down. The Texans continued pounding at the NCR with mortars and artillery. Troopers picked up severed limbs and tried to put them back on before bleeding out. Medics applied Stimpaks and morphine to wounded troopers amid the heavy fighting. The Rangers were even getting killed, but not before taking five or six down with them. A heavy trooper had a Minigun, trying to help the NCR but took a round through the side of the skull. At the top of the hill, the Courier found the Wanderer helping the NCR with ammunition rationing and getting troops on the line.

The Courier turned to Veronica, Boone, and Rex, " I need you all to go get help. Lost Hills, Hidden Valley, anywhere. Just go get help."

" You're asking us to leave you, and run away?" Veronica asked, puzzled.

" Yeah. Just go. You all need to meet me at the Lucky 38. Rex, behave and listen to them," the Courier said, patting Rex on the head, who whimpered.

The Courier began backing away, yelling, " Go!"

The trio turned, and started running down the hill, along with dozens of troopers. Then, an artillery barrage demolished the side of the hill.

" NO!" the Courier cried, before a shell hit three yards away from him, throwing him like a ragdoll, knocking him out.

...

The Lone Wanderer turned around and saw the Courier's body flying through the air, landing by a tent. He faced Sarah and said, " Sarah, get the Pride to Hidden Valley. Work with the Brotherhood. Go, goddammit!"

She went pale, and then nodded. She gathered the Pride, and yelled, " Let's go, boys and girls! We need to go to the Brotherhood again!" With that, the Pride rushed away.

The Wanderer saw the Texans surge up the steps, crushing all forms of resistance. Joshua Graham had disappeared. As the Texans swarmed around the trio of Capital Wastelanders, the Wanderer drew General Jingwei's sword. He ran into the crowd, cutting down man after man until he received a blow to the back of the head, rendering him unconscious. But right before he slipped into unconsciousness, he yelled something to his friend.

Fawkes, towering over the sea of men, killed swarms of men, until he heard the Wanderer yell, " Run, Fawkes! Run!" Fawkes grabbed Dogmeat, slung him over his shoulder, and started running. Not out of cowardice, though. He had a plan.


	12. Chapter 10: Hail to the Chief

President Aaron Kimball stared at the reports sitting on the desk in front of him, a blank expression on his face. Two hundred and sixty six men lost in a single day. That was more than double the amount lost at the first battle of Hoover Dam. With Colonel Moore and dozens of Rangers dead, things were not going well for the New California Republic. Even worse, the Courier had gone missing, along with the asset from back east. The Courier's companions Veronica and Rex had swept through the Republic, bringing warning of the Texans to the heartland. Boone, the First Recon sniper that General Oliver allowed to stay with the Courier, had disappeared.

President Kimball rubbed his chin and sighed. He picked up the coffee mug next to him and took a drink.

" Mr. President? Miss Sarah Lyons of the Brotherhood is here to see you," his young secretary said, poking her head in through the door.

" Ah, send her in," Aaron said.

The door swung open, and a tall, blonde woman in T-45d Power Armor strode into the room. She walked over to Aaron's desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

" Hello. Who are you again?" Aaron asked.

" Sentinel Sarah Lyons, East Coast Brotherhood of Steel. You wanted a first hand account from the battle?"

" Yes, I do. I spoke to many troopers, but they were... not in good mental condition. A Brotherhood Paladin is always someone in the right frame of mind. So tell me, what happened?"

" It started with artillery fire. Then you guys fired back. This dust storm cleared and there was a massive army. The NCR gunned them all down, and when that happened, the Fort just blew up. The army we drained our ammo on were all decoys. The real Texan army came, and wiped out you guys. The Lone Wanderer and Courier didn't make it," Sarah explained, her head hung low.

" What... equipment were these Texans using? Was it more advanced than the NCR's?" Aaron asked, pressing his thumbs together.

" Their guns were no better than yours. They just had more. There would be two or three guns per man, all fully loaded," Sarah replied.

" And you've met these... Texans before?"

" Yes. They're the reason the Lyons' Pride is here. We need help over there from the Brotherhood," Sarah said.

" Well, that won't be happening. The Brotherhood is already suffering from their war with the NCR a few years back, and they simply don't have the numbers to help. Plus, these Texans are already breathing down our necks," Aaron said.

Sarah nodded. " So would it be best if the Pride helped the Brotherhood?" she asked.

" Do whatever you feel is necessary. I wish... I wish that Courier was here," Kimball said.

" The Wanderer too. I wonder where they are right now..."


End file.
